


Severed Link

by photonconductor



Category: Tales of Link (Video Game), Tales of Xillia 2, Tales of the Rays (Video Game)
Genre: Coping, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Dynamics, Gen, Mostly Canon Compliant, Self-Indulgent, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:46:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29829282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/photonconductor/pseuds/photonconductor
Summary: As 'shadows' in the world of Tir na Nog, Allen, Lippy, Sara, Zephyr and Kana are given a task to help track down some of the missing Spiria cores. When they run into a lead, Ix sends Ludger and Elle to help them with the search.
Relationships: Elle Mel Marta & Kana (Tales of Link), Ludger Will Kresnik & Allen (Tales of Link), Ludger Will Kresnik & Zephyr (Tales of Link), Zephyr & Allen & Sara & Kana & Lippy (Tales of Link)
Kudos: 1





	Severed Link

**Author's Note:**

> This is something I've been working on and off for nearly couple years now, so forgive some of the weirdness as I started this before Chapter 15 of arc 3 came out (hence the references to Richard's core still being missing). The Link gang are rly interesting ~~(not only for my own bias reasons haha)~~ and Rays rly doesn't seem to utilize them much in their unique existence, probably because they're mostly collab character for the most part. Either way, I wanted to explore that a bit as well as some stuff with Ludger (because hes my favorite) and Zephyr (because hes also a favorite) since they have a lot of interesting parallels. This chapter starts off as mostly an intro, but I tried to set up some stuff here. I wanted to get it posted in time for Link's 7th anniversary, so happy birthday TOLink! Thank you for reading!

“Master Zephyr… There’s no need to be so down.” Lippy’s voice broke Allen free from the clutches of his compelling novel. He tore his nose away from it to look up and see his friend standing in front of the tea table he was currently sharing with Lippy. Lippy had already poured six cups of said tea and was sitting at his usual spot (though the amount of books stacked on his chair would be unusual to anyone _but_ them) with his own cup held carefully between his paws. 

Said “Master” Zephyr’s face was scrunched into a frown along with his eyebrows furrowed together just as fiercely. His hands were dug deep into his pockets, which was the tell given sign something was on his mind. He was staring at nothing in particular, mostly hovering beside the table with the occasional step back and forth. Allen’s eyes gently roamed over his friend with concern poking at his heart.

Lippy’s voice seemed to break both of them free of their collective trances. Zephyr blinked once before his face settled into its usual characteristic “very-Zephyr-like” smile (Kana had been the one to mention calling it that to Allen before).

“What? I’m not down,” Zephyr said giving Lippy a raised eyebrow in the process. The sprite merely took a casual sip of his tea at his words. His face was turned away from Zephyr’s curious gaze. Allen looked between them both with a small blink. Now that he thought about it… When had Zephyr arrived anyway? He must have been reading longer than he thought. Still, it was obvious to both of them Zephyr was troubled about something.

“You _are_ making that kind of face…” Allen commented, gently turning over one of the pages of his book without even sparing him a second glance. He could feel Zephyr shooting him a glare without another thought.

“What’s _that_ kind of face…?” Zephyr challenged. Allen couldn’t help, but smile to himself, already knowing just how Zephyr got when he was in deep thought. They had been partners for a _very_ long time, and sometimes Allen wondered just how easily Zephyr could read _himself_. These peaceful days were far different from the ones of Liafyse.

It was like any other peaceful day on the Elympios continent; especially with the sun shining through a nearby window. Since coming to Tir na Nog, peaceful days had been rare. With everything going on with Ix and Mileena, not to mention Kocis, there had been so much that had happened it was a wonder they could keep up. Allen, Lippy and Zephyr had only recently joined this world as shadows, similar to Sara and Kana before. Getting caught up on current events had taken some time, but now things had finally settled down into a more peaceful one.

However, Allen could see an itch Zephyr couldn’t scratch. Recent news put them in a more concerning spot. Their original goal had been to travel across the land of Tir na Nog with each other, but considering Ix and Mileena’s plights, they all agreed they couldn’t just ignore the state of affairs and decided to lend a hand. Currently he, Zephyr, Kana, Sara and Lippy were separated from the rest of the Nexuses or the Salvation Front. Before Zephyr could grill him further, or Allen could think more on it, Lippy was speaking.

“We’re supposed to be gathering information in this town, correct?” Lippy began, “Master Ix and Lady Mileena entrusted us with this mission. You remember why, don’t you?”

“Because we’re ‘shadows’ and not like the other Nexuses. We were sent here as a stakeout team to keep an eye on the Imperial Empire’s activity,” Zephyr replied, “If you’re thinking I’m restless because we’re still sitting around here, that’s not it.” 

Lippy tilted his head to the side.

“Then what is troubling you?”

Allen hummed to himself a little, staring blankly at the words on his book’s pages while he contemplated Zephyr’s words. Considering the Imperial Empire hadn’t predicted them being exoflected, they were the perfect group to be inconspicuous; the exception to that was Kana and Sara. They had already been seen within Ix’s group’s ranks with Sara being there the longest. 

Still, they didn’t want to be split up despite that fact. Even though they were mere copies of their original selves, they had been separated for far too long. Now they found themselves in one of the towns on the Elympios continent. 

Mileena had helped exoflect a place for them to stay in; just out of the way enough that it was inconspicuous but was nice enough to fit all their needs. He and Zephyr had gotten jobs inside the town proper, his being an assistant at a bookstore while Zephyr’s was more hands-on monster hunting. Allen used his connections in the bookstore to listen in on gossip as well as learn a bit more about Tir Na Nog in the process. Sara and Kana assisted Zephyr on his hunts, as well as Allen when they had a spare moment, otherwise the two girls kept their ears low to the ground. They usually mulled about the city, picking up groceries and trying to get a read on any information they could gleam from the state of things in the town.

Zephyr was concerned Kana would be too easy going for this sort of mission, but so far things had been going fine. Slow and aimless were how Zephyr often described their days together, Allen recalled, but he always said it with a smile. While they were all worried about Ix and the others, there hadn’t been too much trouble as of yet that required them to be around. _However_...

“You’re bothered by that information we got.” Allen looked up from his book to stare into his friend's hardened gaze. Zephyr returned it, speaking louder to Allen than anything the blond would say. After all their years together, he completely understood that look on his face. It was one of anxiety: concern that if they waited too long something bad was bound to happen. The blond let out a shrug before putting a hand on his hip and turning to face the two of them properly.

“Yeah. If those spiria cores are sitting around, we can’t waste too much time. Who knows if they’ll use ‘em for more of that Living Doll stuff. That guy— _Richard’s_ —could be there with ‘em.” Zephyr’s lips etched into a deeper frown as he stared hard at the wood grain embedded into the tea table. Allen nodded solemnly.

Sara had overheard a group of soldiers talk about one of their labs being evacuated due to something malfunctioning within. Another had asked what they were working on and the soldier mentioned the term “spiria core”. It was enough to alert them that there could be another one of the Imperial Empire’s research facilities nearby: or, at the very least, near enough that they could access it.

Unfortunately, the soldiers were tight lipped on the details of its whereabouts. They had no idea where exactly to search for it. The surrounding area was fairly dense with woods and mountains, so there were numerous places a facility like that could hide. Still, it was worth looking into. Ix mentioned to Allen once about how the Spiria’s worked during their book clubs together. Considering their similar makeup to the heart, it went in hand with the Living Doll project that was replacing their “heart’s” cores with artificial cores. They had released Loge’s (now roaming as Barbatos) but hadn’t been able to locate Richard’s original core. While the Asbel of this world was different from the one of Liafyse, Allen still wanted to help him be reunited with his friend.

Even if that wasn’t the case, it still meant that more innocent people were being tested on. While they might not be able to return those cores to their bodies right away, especially with only three soma users in their ranks, they could at least keep them out of the Empire’s hands. Not to mention any research data would help everyone back at the base.

“You are correct… it is most troubling we haven’t been able to locate them as of yet.” Lippy’s ears sank at that. The once warm atmosphere seemed to grow colder at that thought.

“I guess I’m just getting restless not doing anything useful…” Zephyr grumbled, tapping his finger against his hip. Allen could only smile softly at his friend. Of course he would want to help out as soon as possible; that was just like Zephyr. Allen did too. Right now, there was just too little to go on. Still, it wasn’t like their work had been for nothing; they had gathered the information in the first place.

“I thought we _were_ doing something useful by gathering information,” Allen teased him gently. Zephyr let out a slight huff, tossing his hand to the side in a half-hearted wave as if it would brush away Allen’s words.

“Yeah, yeah…” was all he got in response to that. The once Great Savior could only give a tiny shrug of his shoulder when Lippy looked at him.

“Lady Karia said they’re sending one of the Nexuses along to help us with the infiltration. It’ll be much easier once we have more people when it comes to locating the facility.” The sprite spoke up before taking a drink of his tea again. That had Zephyr’s direct attention.

“Huh? When did that happen?” Zephyr looked surprised. Allen and Lippy exchanged glances.

“Eh? Did we forget to tell you? That’s who we’re waiting for right now.” Allen tilted his head to the side with a confused frown. Zephyr blinked back at the two of them in disbelief before shaking his head.

“You guys could have mentioned that earlier!”

“You were away while I gave Master Ix a call on the mirrage com to inform him of the information Lady Sara gave us. They said they would send someone to assist us this evening, so Master Allen and I thought we’d greet them,” Lippy informed him. Zephyr could only let out a resigned sigh.

“You guys always leave out the most important information.” Zephyr scratched the back of his head, practically pouting. Allen suppressed a chuckle at that. He felt a little bad, but he didn’t even realize Zephyr had gotten back yet. He had been far too enraptured with the Jude had lent him. The title read, _“The Blazing Legend”_ , and it was about one of the great spirits, Ifrit, that existed in Tir Na Nog. While Liafyse had Leonne to watch over it, mostly, there was something fascinating about spirits and how they worked. Ah, but he was getting carried away. He reluctantly picked up the 4-leaf clover bookmark Kana had made for him and pushed it between the pages of his book.

“Actually, one of the Nexuses coming is a friend of Jude’s. Ix said he was one of the people who know the Elympios content well. He should know the area a little bit better than us,” Allen said as he closed the book, setting it down carefully next to his tea. Zephyr tilted his head a little to the side.

“Oh, yeah, the doctor guy?” He scratched the side of his cheek as he tried to place a face to the name. Allen couldn’t exactly blame him; there were a _lot_ of people to remember these days. He, Zephyr and Lippy had only just arrived in Tir Na Nog while many of the Nexuses had been there for years.

“Yes, Master Jude is a wonderful doctor! He has given me quite the amount of ideas for herbal remedies!” Lippy piped up cheerfully, wagging his tail ever so slightly.

“That so, huh? I’ve only really seen him and… _Ruca?_ Hanging out down in the medical bay. Never really talked to him much.” Zephyr leaned to the side a little, canting his head just slightly in thought. Allen could see the gears turning in his head at that.

“Oh, if you’ve been exploring does that mean you’ve made some friends then?” Allen said, amusement coloring his tone. Zephyr wasn’t so sociable, especially back when they had started the pilgrimage with Kana and Sara. Kana had helped him grow out of his shell a bit more (Allen chalked it up to his additional friendship with the Yuri from Liafyse). It would be nice if he expanded his friend group beyond them, if Allen was being honest. Zephyr returned his innocuous words with an arched eyebrow, looking almost offended.

“What’s that supposed to mean? I’ve got plenty of friends!”

“Oh? Master Zephyr have you shaken off your cold shoulder?” Lippy chimed in, “Perhaps you could introduce us next time we’re at base!”

“I’ve never had one in the first place! And I—”

“ _Helloooo_! We’re hooome!” A familiar voice made them all turn towards the door. As if on cue, the front door of their residence flew open. Inside the door frame was Kana: though she practically jumped through it making her grand entrance. A few bags dangling helplessly from her left arm while her right was outstretched in a vigorous wave. Before she could get too far, Sara poked her own head out from behind with a broad smile.

“We’re home.” She repeated, though much less enthusiastic than her companion. The trio at the table’s faces melted into fond smiles as they greeted their friends. 

“Welcome home!” Allen said cheerfully.

“Welcome home, Lady Sara and Lady Kana! I do hope you didn’t have any trouble picking up the groceries.” Lippy’s own face brightened, clapping his paws together in delight. Sara nodded gently to answer him as Zephyr moved closer to Kana.

“Welcome home.” Zephyr said, much softer than the other two. Kana’s smile practically beamed in happiness, threatening to rival any nearby sunbeam. The spell was broken before long when Zephyr gently poked a finger directly into Kana’s forehead.

“Wah! Zephyr! What’s that for?” She squeaked.

“You’re going to drop those bags if you aren’t careful. Don’t go jumping around so recklessly.” Zephyr scolded her, though his smile betrayed his reprimanding words. Kana pouted back at him, but her eyes sparkled in equal betrayal. Allen found himself admiring the sight for just a bit longer than necessary. Sara moved towards the two of them seated at the table, gently setting her bags on it and breaking his attention away from Zephyr and Kana. They were loaded to the brim with different fruits and vegetables threatening to spill out of the back. The scent of meat lingered in his nose too.

“I made sure to get everything on the list. We even managed to save a little on the seafood and spices.” Sara commented before she began rooting through one of the bags. From it she pulled out an object wrapped in white paper. Slowly, the pink haired girl unfolded it, revealing a fresh salmon. Allen and Lippy bent over to get a better look at it. The scales were still shiny and the fish practically smelled of the ocean. Lippy cooed just at the mere sight of it.

“Oh my! This is quite exquisite! Lady Sara, your eye for fine ingredients will never ceases to amaze me!” Lippy praised, much to the embarrassment of Sara. She fidgeted with the paper wrapping, twisting it in between her finger tips.

“I just come from a port town, that’s all.” She brushed it off with a smile, gently rewrapping up the fish.

“Lippy’s right. You did a great job. Thank you, Sara.” Allen cut in, only to earn a tiny flush twinging Sara’s cheeks.

“O-Oh, you really think so?” Her face brightened even redder when she said those words. Allen encouraged her with a nod and a gentle smile of his own.

“Hey, we should put this stuff away before that Nexus shows up.” Zephyr finally finished his lecture to Kana and moved towards them, crowding around it alongside them. Kana silded up behind him, face beaming with that same ecstatic smile Allen loved to see from her. The brown haired boy nodded in agreement with him. They would be arriving pretty soon. The sun had set far behind the trees now, coating their living room area in a gentle orange hue. Evening was fast approaching and the abandoned tea was starting to lose its puffs of steam.

“Oh, Lippy, you made tea? Sorry we took so long!” Kana spoke up once she drew closer to the table. Lippy shook his head softly at her words, “Also what’s all this about a Nexus? We’re having someone over?” Kana’s blue eyes sparkled with curiosity, peering over at Lippy for more information. Allen could see Sara’s own questioning gaze, but she waited for the sprite to respond.

“Oh, no, no. I can always reheat it later once our guest arrive. Master Allen was so engrossed in reading he didn’t even take a sip!” Lippy laughed, pointing to Allen’s abandoned cup. It was still full, just as the sprite had pointed out. Allen could only glance away sheepishly from Kana’s tiny giggle.

“That sounds very Allen!” She laughed.

“Master Ix asked for a Nexus to be sent here to help with our investigation. They should be arrivng sometime soon…” Lippy’s tail swished with an uncertain gait. Kana nodded once, but turned towards Zephyr. She grabbed his arm carefully, tugging on it just a little bit. Zephyr leaned a little into her, if only because he was caught off guard.

“Alright, let’s go put everything away!” She cheered, “Zephyr, tell us about that Nexus too!”

“Alright, alright…” Despite her enthusiasm in the subject, Zephyr didn’t exactly seem as thrilled. However, Allen didn’t miss the tiny smile that was stuck on his face. Sara was already grabbing the bags she had put on the table, while Lippy picked up the bag filled with meat. Everyone except Allen moved into their kitchen area, buzzing with excitement as they chattered about what they could make for dinner that night.

Allen found himself watching them, not bothering to move just yet. How odd it felt to be watching all of them together at last. All their struggles and hardships came flooding back into his mind. The spiral… A lonely, deadly one that had nearly torn them apart. Now, they were merely ‘shadows’ in this world yet they were still together. A sudden gust of fear tugged at his heart. If they were shadows, would that mean they would be separated again?

Allen frowned despite himself. He watched as Kana tried to reach for one of the shelves to put something away. She reached up on her tiptoes, struggling to put away a box due to her height. Zephyr quickly snatched it from her hand to place it there himself, earning a shout of protest from Kana. Zephyr shot her a sly grin even with her protests. Her frown might have looked upset, but Allen could tell there was no real upset behind it. Allen’s blue eyes turned towards where Sara and Lippy were. Sara was already scolding Zephyr, while Lippy was quick to capture her attention. He held up a cut of meat with one of the “arms” on his head, saying something Allen assumed was about how to prepare the meat itself. She smiled back at him with a little shake of her shoulders.

The frown on Allen’s face melted into a smile. Just those simple exchanges was enough to send the fear far away from his mind. Their bond was still here, still tying them together tightly like a cord. They promised, even if they were shadows, they would be together. Even when they had been separated, they were bound tightly together in their hearts.

A knock on the door startled him from those, admittedly corny, thoughts. Everyone in the room paused, their voices dying away at the mere sound. Allen got up from his seat and headed towards the front door. He opened it slowly, only to be greeted by a familiar face.

“...Ludger?” Allen couldn’t help the words tumbling out of his mouth. Shock rippled through him like an angry wave from the ocean crashing against the surf. The man standing there was in fact Ludger Will Kresnik; the splitting image of the same man who had helped them previously in Liafyse. However… when the words left Allen’s lips, a look of surprise mingled with confusion crossed over the man’s face. His blue-green eyes only regarded his own blue like a stranger.

“Master Ludger is here?” Allen could hear Lippy’s voice across the room, but Allen found himself trapped within the man’s confused eyes. That look… there was an ache that rippled in his heart. While they had only briefly worked together to stop the version of Zephyr corrupted by Nidhogg, Allen still had considered him a close ally. However this… this was not the Ludger _Allen_ knew. This Ludger was different from the man they had fought beside in Liafyse. They hadn’t crossed paths before in the actual Nexus base. Allen knew he was around but…

“Hey, are you gonna let us in or what?!” A tiny voice shattered Allen’s trance. He blinked hard once before his eyes moved down. There was a small girl, sharing those same blue-green eyes that Ludger had. Her pink jacket and black beret stook out among the green of the forest, as well as her light blonde hair tied up in pigtails. She reminded him a little of Sophie, though much smaller than the purple haired girl. Her glare was enough to make him realize that he had been staring for far too long.

Ludger shifted in place slightly, shooting him an apologetic look at the girl’s outburst. Allen only shook his head quietly in response. Well and to clear his head a little. Allen stepped away from the door, beckoning the two of them inside. Ludger tipped his head slightly in thanks and the little girl puffed out her chest a bit.

“That’s more like it!” She said as she waltzed through the door without a second thought to spare. Ludger’s response was only a tiny sigh and followed inside a bit more slowly after her. The two entered without any more fuss, though the girl was already inspecting their house. Her eyes darted from side to side, even craning her neck a little to take in as much as she could. Allen wondered if maybe she didn’t leave the base very often; she was still a child.

“Wow.... so Mileena made this house all for you guys? It’s so nice!” Her eyes were wide with wonder as she looked around. Before she could get too far inside to poke her nose around further, the rest of Allen’s friends joined them as he closed the door.

“Ah, Master Ludger! It’s wonderful to see you again!” Lippy was the first one to greet them, “It’s nice to have you—”

“Ah, Lippy, that’s…” Sara cut him off with a gentle wave of her hand before smiling back at Ludger, “Sorry about that. There’s a Ludger in our world you see… Lippy and Allen aren’t used to this world yet.” Lippy looked almost hurt for a moment, but it didn’t take him long to recompose himself. Allen could see Zephyr staring at Allen from the corner of his eye too. He could sense he was worrying about him, but no doubt Zephyr had the same reaction when he saw Ludger walk in. They had fought once before after all. Maybe Allen should be lucky this Ludger didn’t know about their battle in Liafyse. His blue eyes decided to focus on their guests instead.

Before Ludger could reply, the small girl was already planting her hands on her hips.

“Oh, were you guys just brought here?” She was looking at Lippy now, eyes wide with intrigue, “I didn’t know you had a talking cat! I wish Rollo could talk!”

“A-Ahem! I’m not exactly a cat, Lady…?” Lippy wanted to refute her, but faltered when he realized he didn’t know her name, “Pardon my manners! My name is Lippy.”

“I’m Kana! I think we’ve met before, but I don’t mind reintroducing myself!” Kana cheerfully made her way towards the girl. She gently took her hands in her own, beaming back at her. The girl seemed to flounder for a second, looking away with a flustered expression. Allen guessed she probably wasn’t used to Kana’s bursts of energy.

“Sheesh, do you always go around grabbing people?!” She said hastily, but despite her frown she turned her eyes away from Kana’s smile with a sheepish look, “I-I’m Elle. And that’s Ludger… but I guess you guys already know that.” She looked at their group again, staring at each one of them. Sara smiled back at her with a little nod.

“Mhm, a little bit. I’ve met Ludger before too.” Sara said with a smile. Ludger exchanged a smile in her direction in response. Allen found himself glancing between the both of them. No doubt Sara must have encountered Ludger long before, when she had first arrived in Tir Na Nog. Sara had been here the longest of them… Allen couldn’t imagine how lonely it must have been. No, Allen corrected himself, she probably wasn’t that lonely. All the other Nexuses were kind (well, most of them anyway) so he had no doubt they welcomed her warmly. He could admit, not having someone to talk to about your own world could be a bit stifling. The closest people they could relate to were the Kanonnos… but even they were strangers to them. Before he could dwell on it, Kana was already bounding up towards him. She took her spot energetically beside him, coiling an arm around Allen’s shoulder’s and squeezing him tight.

“This here’s Allen, and the grumpy one over there is Zephyr!” She said cheerfully pointing to them respectively. Zephyr mumbled something under his breath Allen didn’t catch, but his sour expression soon turned into a faint smile.

“Hey. Nice to be working together.” He was direct, but that was just how Zephyr was. He reached out a hand towards Ludger, who gently accepted it. Ludger dipped his head a little in greeting in addition. Allen forced a smile as well, swallowing the awkward feeling in his stomach. Ludger didn’t seem at all perturbed by Kana’s bountiful energy, his smile looking genuine even amidst their awkward first meeting.

“Now that that’s out of the way, I’ll get straight to the point.” Zephyr started, releasing his hand from Ludger’s grip, but was quickly interrupted by Lippy.

“Now, now Master Zephyr! We mustn’t be rude to our guests! Let’s discuss this over the tea. I’ll go ahead and brew a fresh batch while we talk!” Lippy smiled back at him, wagging his tail ever so slightly. The blond man frowned back at him, but heaved a little sigh in reluctance.

“Alright. Who am I to stop you?” He said and Lippy beamed brighter at him.

“Please, excuse me then!” The sprite bounded away at that, no doubt heading back towards the kitchen to prepare everything. Sara wandered over towards Ludger, gently tugging on his arm to lead him towards the tea table. Kana, in turn, gestured Elle towards the same way. Before long they were all crowded around the table itself, each with their own tea cup. In what felt like no time at all, Lippy was already placing new cups of tea alongside a few cookies Sara and Kana had picked up from the market.

Elle was already making short work of the cookies. Ludger had softly given her a look that could spell, _“Don’t eat too much,”_ (Allen wasn’t sure if she was ignoring it on purpose or not). Even so… Allen wasn’t sure how to feel at this moment. It was something he still hadn’t gotten used to: the differences of Tir Na Nog and Liafyse.

Asbel had been different too… and even now he still felt it hard to communicate with him at times. He had no memory of the butler who was so devoted to him, nor did Yuri remember any of the struggles they had gone through on Kana’s pilgrimage. Even Jade, who acted so similar to the Jade of their world, didn’t have a single inkling about magivus or Feil’s plans. Reala and Kyle were still together, too, but neither of them had a fragment of a memory that Reala was a guardian. It was like they were just wearing masks of old comrades. It wasn’t like he knew them in a past life either this time around. Somehow Allen was finding it a bit difficult to correctly cope with it.

However, that didn’t make them bad people. Every Nexus was kind in their own ways, even ones more standoffish. Even if Asbel, Yuri, Reala, Kyle, or Jade had no memory of them, their personalities were still the same. Asbel was always a loyal friend who looked out for everyone. Yuri still had an aloof feeling about him, but when it came to battle you could always count on him. Jade was smart, but often held a mysterious air about him Allen couldn’t quite puzzle out. Kyle was still willing to go to any lengths to help someone out. Reala still had her big heart, but still cautioned them to be careful. Ultimately, at their core, each one was still the same… just a piece of the puzzle was missing from their respective boxes.

Allen’s eyes lowered to his tea. He was finding it hard to look at Ludger without the fondness of an old comrade hiding in his heart. Just then, he felt a tiny bump against his hand. He looked out of the corner of his eye. It came from Zephyr, who was still staring straight on at Ludger and Elle, not even looking the least bit guilty about nudging him.

He was no doubt worried about Allen… It was just like his partner to notice. Allen smiled faintly to himself. He tenderly returned the gesture, hoping the silent reassurance would be enough. He lifted his tea to his lips though he could feel Zephyr’s own eyes on him.

“I heard from Ix and Karol’s research division that you found some information about the spiria cores. You mind filling us in on what you know?” Ludger broke his silence, looking up at each of them as he took a drink of his tea. Allen somehow was a bit caught off guard by how quiet Ludger had been up until now. The Ludger of Liafyse hadn’t exactly been a chatterbox, but suddenly hearing his voice now made it more apparent to him. This Ludger didn’t seem like a man of many words, but then again Allen wasn’t either, he supposed.

Allen noticed Zephyr’s eyebrows knit together and the tension of the room increased. Each of their faces grew serious, but Lippy was the first to explain all the information they had learned to the two Nexuses. Allen found his nerve throughout the conversation to watch Ludger’s face carefully. He could see his face scrunching up, eyebrows furrowed, piecing everything that they had learned and absorbing it carefully.

Once Lippy finished, the silence in the room was palpable. Ludger took a long drink of his tea, and Allen wondered if he were digesting the words along with it. Soon enough, Ludger finished and set his teacup gently on its saucer. He opened his mouth to speak, but he was swiftly cut off by Elle.

“So, you guys don’t even know anything?” She frowned back at them, holding a cookie in her hand. The group looked between each other with confused glances. While she wasn’t exactly wrong, she… did have a point, Allen supposed.

“I-It’s not that we don’t know _anything_ , but…” Sara began before Elle rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, uh huh. So you asked the rest of the guys to drag us all the way out here over a rumor?”

“Listen, kid…” Zephyr was about to say something when Lippy interjected.

“We asked for Master Ludger’s assistance with helping us gather more information. Master Ix believed someone who knew the original world’s locales would be able to help us understand where the facility may be situated. Once we locate the facility it’ll be that much easier to recover the lost cores with the additional manpower.”

“Though we only thought they were sending _one_ Nexus.” Kana said, tapping her cheek a little. Elle crossed her arms over her chest, looking more put out by the statement than Allen expected.

“I came ‘cause we’re partners! Wherever Ludger goes, I go too!” She said it so firmly Allen thought denying such a thing was hersey.

“I think it looks more like he’s your babysitter than a par— _Ow!_ ” Zephyr ran a hand through his hair before earning a sharp elbow in the side from Sara. While Zephyr was nursing his side, Elle was already puffing out her cheeks looking quite red in the face. Allen could already see where this was heading...

“We’re totally partners! Tell them, Ludger!” Elle looked up sharply at the man, as if her eyes were made of daggers. Ludger seemed to flounder under the newfound attention. He averted his gaze for a second, his eyes wandering around to the ceiling, to the table, to the floor, before he scratched at his cheek.

“Erm, that’s right. We’re partners.” Ludger stated, though the hesitance behind it made Allen wonder if he was just saying that not to rile her up further, “Elle is actually an Omega Nexus.” All five of their eyes widened at the news. Elle’s own eyebrows pinched together, but she didn't say anything further in response.

“Is it okay for her to be out here then?” Sara asked, a worried expression crossing over her. From what Allen recalled, Omega Nexuses weren’t exactly _healthy_ for the planet of Tir na Nog. While they were ‘shadows’, they didn’t exactly harness the same kind of anima that the Nexuses did. Allen had asked Jude about it, though he hadn’t asked for too much of the nitty gritty details. He would have to ask Ix one of these days during their book clubs. Ludger nodded a little in response, picking up his teacup once again and nursed it between his fingers.

“Yeah. We got her one of the Omega Nexus rings long ago so there will be no damage to her or the anima. It’s not a problem.”

“Who cares about that!?” Elle interrupted again, though Ludger gave her a withering look. The small girl quickly shoved her cookie in her mouth, crunching angrily. The atmosphere in the room grew awkward, but Allen guessed he would prefer that than tense. Allen found himself smiling a bit weakly, alongside the rest of his friends, though Zephyr was the only one who still held a frown on his face.

“I hope you have our sincere apologies, we did not mean anything rude by it.” Lippy was the first to speak, glancing towards the rest of them. Everyone gave a tentative nod.

“Whether you’re an Omega Nexus or not, it doesn’t really matter. If you’re willing to help us track down the facility, that’s what’s important right now.” Zephyr said, crossing his arms against his chest, “We’re going to find those cores no matter what your answer is. We’d just appreciate the help is all.” Allen nodded in tandem with Zephyr’s words. It was not only for Richard’s sake, but everyone in Tir na Nog who had been experimented on or captured by the Imperial Empire. They couldn’t allow this to continue, especially when they knew such horrors were being committed nearby. Many of their Nexus friends had been trapped by them, too, and if they could prevent such tragedies from repeating this was the next best step. They could find clues on their production, or something else that might help them gain an edge, if Allen was being optimistic.

“You’re right.” Ludger’s eyes narrowed, but the determination on his face was clear, “We can’t allow them to continue. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

“Yes! Now we can get the ball rolling!” Kana cheered before turning her attention towards the still fuming Elle, “You’ll help too, right Elle?” The little girl blinked up in surprise, possibly not realizing she was being addressed. She must have been still caught up in her own thoughts.

“Yeah, Ludger can’t do it all by himself,” Sara added with a gentle smile. Elle’s face quickly turned pink, her shoulders stiffening a little. She glanced between Sara, Kana then to Ludger who gave her an encouraging smile. Before long, the pressure of their hopeful gazes seemed to crack her hardened shell.

“O-Of course I’ll help! Ludger’d be lost without me and I won’t let those creeps do whatever they want to people!” Elle puffed out her chest again, that pride in her eyes soon returning with vigor. Allen held back a chuckle, using the opportunity to take a drink of his tea instead to mask it. He was grateful she didn’t seem so upset anymore.

“Splendid! We shall all be counting on you for support!” Lippy beamed.

The room seemed to brighten with a newfound determination. They all shared a single goal, not only to help Richard, but all those the Imperial Empire had hurt in the process. For now, though, there wasn’t much they could do, but sit and gather information. Allen didn’t particularly want to damper the mood by voicing that thought, so he kept it to himself. The mood was soon disrupted by the sound of Kana’s stomach growling.

“Oops, hehe…” Kana blushed, scratching behind her head a little. Sara giggled a little herself, covering her mouth to suppress it. Allen saw Zephyr roll his eyes a little.

“It is getting to be about dinner time. Why don’t we all get something to eat?” Sara commented, her purple eyes wandering towards the window. The sun had long started to dip beyond the horizon and the warmth of its light had long since faded. Shadows were starting to cast in their shared living room, though Allen had barely noticed it much. He would have to set up some lamps later.

“A splendid idea, Lady Sara! I shall get things started!” Lippy was the first to jump up to offer to cook, as usual. It wasn’t like any of them were _bad_ cooks, but Lippy was the type that was eager to please. Allen would hardly want to complain: Lippy always made the best gratin. Ludger nodded in agreement at the prospect of food and slowly got to his feet.

“Why don’t I help you cook?” Ludger offered, surprising everyone at the table (minus Elle, of course), “It’s the least I can do since you’re offering to let us stay here.”

“Wow, Ludger, I didn’t know you could cook!” Kana gaped with wide eyes. Zephyr rolled his eyes a little, but a smile was still stuck on his face. Elle started to puff up in her seat again.

“Oh, you bet! Ludger’s the best cook I know! Besides my Daddy, of course!” She boasted. Everyone around the table smiled at her, even if she _was_ bragging, but no one wanted to challenge her with how eagerly she said it. Zephyr leaned over towards him, muttering a quiet, “Not including the other kitchen staff back at base.” Allen rolled his eyes at his friend’s tease, but fortunately Elle didn’t seem to hear him say it.

“I won’t say no to an offer like that,” Zephyr said, much louder than his initial whisper. He rose up from the table before looking towards Ludger, “But at least let us show you around the kitchen. It’ll make your life a bit easier.”

“Yeah, plus it’s much more fun with help!” Sara agreed, getting up herself. Elle glanced around at all of them before her attention was back towards Ludger. The man didn’t seem at all phased by everyone's offers to pitch in.

“That would be a big help, thank you everyone. I’ll do my best!” Ludger smiled warmly towards them before pressing his hand against his bicep and showing a determined fist. From where Allen was sitting, he didn’t seem too much different from the Ludger he had known.

“Then we shall be your prep crew, Master Ludger! Please instruct us well! By the by, you must share with me your recipes! I’ve been working on my own sort of cookbook...” Lippy bounced off his stack of books to the floor, motioning for the man to follow them to the kitchen all while he spoke. Sara, Lippy, Zephyr and Ludger made their way towards the kitchen proper, their voices fading into a mesh of different conversations. What would Ludger make, how would he do it, where was that one potholder, all muddled together until Allen couldn’t make much sense of it as it faded into their snug kitchen. Allen shifted in his seat and watched them go. Fortunately for him, the small kitchen was still within eyeshot of where their table was situated.

Elle and Kana bounced out of their own chairs, muttering something Allen didn’t quite catch. He noticed them leaving out of the corner of his eye, but he was transfixed on the buzz in the kitchen to ask where they were going. He found himself staring at Ludger’s back, hunched over, already into his work at the stovetop. He noticed Lippy pulling some pots out from one of the nearby cupboards, while Sara was handing something just out of Allen’s sight to Zephyr. Zephy’s back was also facing him, though Allen caught a glimpse of his arm already moving slightly. Allen guessed he was likely helping cut up vegetables for whatever Ludger was planning to prepare.

His gaze ended up flicking back towards Ludger. The longer he stared, the more Allen noticed something. Ludger’s shoulders sank ever so slightly, as if an unseen weight was pressing down on them. No matter how tall he stood, even when he straightened up to say something to Zephyr, the invisible weight was always there. Allen’s eyes narrowed slightly. It filled him with an odd sense of nostalgia in a strange way. It was on the tip of his tongue, but Allen couldn’t quite place it. Just then, Zephyr sidled up to the other man saying something to him, with a raised eyebrow, that Allen couldn’t hear.

His lowered head turned towards the stovetop and they stood there with both their backs facing him. Zephyr’s shoulders were moving like he had grabbed something to help, though Allen didn’t see any signs of protest from Ludger. What exactly he was doing was a mystery to the once Great Savior, but he found comfort in watching his friend, what he hoped he was doing, work.

It was then Allen noticed it: they were the same. Sunken shoulder to sunken shoulder, each carrying an unseen weight hidden behind their hearts. They were both burdened by an unimaginable guilt; something Allen wasn’t sure he could fathom. It was odd to be struck with such a sense of sadness. It wasn’t something easily fixed or smoothed over with nice words, he knew that. Sara had always said he had a keen instinct for these things, that Allen could perceive things that others couldn’t, but he wasn’t expecting _this_ from Ludger.

Even so, his heart ached. Zephyr still held deep guilt over the thousands of loops where he killed them just to save Kana. Ludger’s own were a mystery to him, but the same feeling nagged at his heart, staring at him. He was carrying something that was so much more different than the Ludger he met in Liafyse. It was a no brainer they would be different from the people they knew from Liafyse, but just how _much_ they differed surprised him. His stonecanting abilities allowed him to summon heroes from other realms, similar to the powers of mirristry here in Tir na Nog, but it wasn’t nearly the same. 

He didn’t get to live alongside them like Ix and Mileena did, even if the premise of ripping them so cruelly from their own worlds was there. The powers of stonecanting seemed so small compared to their abilities. He was only just getting to know these people from other worlds properly. Maybe Allen was just being selfish. The life of the mirrists wasn’t exactly an easy one; especially when they went to war in the past over their powers. The original concept of the Nexuses probably weren’t to befriend them… Ix and Mileena had apologized over and over for that, but it had been all for the sake of saving their world. 

While Allen was glad he could share this world with his friends, it also made him wonder just how hard the other Nexuses lives had been before being exoflected to Tir na Nog.

Just what had happened to Ludger that made him so similar to Zephyr? What was he holding inside his heart? It wasn’t Allen’s business to pry, he reminded himself. Part of him hoped he could learn more about this Ludger, but he wasn’t completely confident. He seemed… much more reserved. Maybe he was just too quick to judge. They had only just met! A frown etched into his face at that thought. While the Ludger from Liafyse and the Ludger from Elympios shared a face, they were two completely different people. He had to remind himself of that fact. It still hurt, though.

“Hey, are you okay?” The words snapped Allen out of his trance. He blinked a few times to clear his head. His attention drifted down to see Elle’s round eyes staring up at him with a hint of worry.

“What’s wrong? Your face was all scrunched up.” Elle leaned forward, before a smile broke on her face, “Are you _that_ hungry? You don’t hafta be shy about it! Ludger’s a _really_ good cook!” Allen was a bit stunned. Had he been that obvious? Zephyr always did say he was an easy read, though Allen would argue Kana was _far_ more honest. He felt a bit bad spacing out like that.

“Mm, I’m excited to try it.” Allen’s response smothered his thoughts, though the smile he gave was genuine towards Elle’s concern. The little girl nodded a bit, looking a bit prouder that she had been right on the mark. Elle certainly had pride to spare.

“You’d better be! He’s not as good as my Daddy, but his cooking’s still pretty good! He makes the second-best Elle-style mabo curry!” Elle bragged, planting her hands on her hips with a grin. Allen had half a mind to ask what ‘Elle-style’ entailed, but a voice interrupted him before he could get the chance to speak it.

“Your Dad?” Kana suddenly appeared from the corner, joining the two of them by the table with a curious look. Elle turned to meet her, nodding a little bit. Allen had half a mind to ask where she had disappeared to, but he tucked it away for now.

“Yup! Though, I guess Daddy’s not here…” Elle’s eyebrows screwed together in thought. She looked a lot less lively than before. Kana and Allen shared a concerned look between them. Was her Dad…? Elle was still a child after all… Allen found himself worried about what she was doing so far away from her family, only to end up by Ludger’s side and in _their_ predicament. It wasn’t like the Nexuses were being taken from their original world but… he still found himself worried. The Ludger of Liafyse also mentioned a girl he was watching out for… could that have been a different Elle too? Allen stewed in his thoughts, but Kana was quick to save their quickly souring mood.

“Well, at least you’ve got your partner! I’m jealous!” Kana said, giving Allen a little wink. Elle didn’t seem to notice, considering she quickly regained her smug smile. He just sighed in relief. The former Great Savior was glad Kana could brighten the mood so easily.

“Well, we can’t all have cool partners! Don’t feel bad!” She reassured Kana, patting her arm a little bit. Kana nodded with a smile before she glanced back towards Allen. Her eyes seemed full of curiosity, but there was also a twinge to that he recognized: concern. She probably had noticed him spacing off. Her eyes shifted back down towards Elle, leaving those feelings unspoken between them. That made him aware how awkward she felt bringing it completely up around Elle. He tried to brush off her concerns with a tiny wave of his hand and Kana seemed to perk up a little more at that.

“Didja know Allen and Zephyr are partners too? Well, I guess all of us are partners now…” Kana said, tapping her cheek idly as she added that last bit. Elle blinked once. She stared at Allen with an almost judgement squint before turning her attention towards the kitchen. Allen’s eyes followed hers. The kitchen was much more quiet with Sara and Ludger idly chatting about something just outside of it while Lippy kept a watchful eye on the pot. Zephyr snuck over to take a quick taste of whatever was inside, though it earned him a slap of the hand by Lippy’s own. Elle huffed, earning Allen’s attention once again.

“Really? He doesn’t seem all that reliable.” She said, eyes darting almost accusatory towards Allen.

“He might not look like it, but he’s very reliable.” Allen replied, scratching at his cheek a bit. Thank the goddess Zephyr didn’t hear that… Kana nodded eagerly.

“Yeah! He’s kind of a stick in the mud, but he’s the kind of stick you’d want to be stuck with!” She beamed. Elle raised an unsure eyebrow, but looked away with a huff as if she were no longer interested. On that cue, she wandered off towards the kitchen, no doubt going to bother Zephyr the validity of their statements or talk to Ludger about something else.

“Oh yeah, Allen,” Kana said, earning Allen’s attention with a little wave, “I went with Elle to check out our room situation! You, Zephyr and Lippy don’t mind if Ludger stays with you guys right?” She asked with an unsure look. Allen blinked before folding his arms in thought. While their room was spacious enough, he wasn’t so sure where exactly Ludger could fit in there… at least without one of them sleeping on the floor.

Lippy had the benefit of being small, so his bed didn’t take up much space, but Allen and Zephyr’s own beds took up the rest of the room. Not to mention Allen’s extensive book collection took up literally every available space that wasn’t Lippy’s or Zephyr’s corners. Allen mulled over a little bit longer. He could just sleep on one of the couches or something… It was only for a little while anyway. Just as Allen opened his mouth, Zephyr walked up behind him.

“I’ll take the couch for now.” Zephyr said and jabbed a thumb back towards one of their loveseats with an accompanying frown. Allen glanced up at him, giving him a frown to match. Zephyr raised an eyebrow back at him.

“What? I knew you were gonna say _‘I’ll take it’_ , but I know you’re a light sleeper. The second someone gets up to the bathroom you’ll just wake right up,” Zephyr said with a tiny sigh and a shake of his head. Allen’s frown deepened. While it wasn’t necessarily _untrue_ , he didn’t have to phrase it like that!

“You’re much worse than me. You’re always complaining about some new back pain. The couch will only make that worse,” Allen retorted, “Besides, our room’s mess is mostly my fault. I don’t mind giving up my bed for a few nights.” Zephyr planted his hands on his hips, stiffening his shoulders just a bit. He was probably trying to look more intimidating, but Allen knew better than to back off from a stubborn Zephyr.

“I already get up in the middle of the night anyway. I’d rather not wake up someone who isn’t you,” Zephyr tried to rebuke. Before Allen could come back with his own retort, Kana let out a giggle between their bickering. They both turned their attention towards her, with Zephyr shooting her a glare. It wasn’t a heated one by any stretch, but Allen had to commend him for trying.

“What’re you laughing for?” He questioned, though any real bite to it was gone.

“You’re both just sweet is all! Ludger’s lucky he’s got you two being so accommodating!” Kana giggled, then her attention was on Allen, “Why not let Zephyr handle it then? His nightmares are settling down, so some away time from Allen and Lippy would do some good!” She glanced innocently towards the other at that last part.

“Hey, what’s that supposed-” Zephyr glared at her before scratching at his hair, “ _Ugh_ , yeah, I guess so. We’re not always gonna be together if we get split up on missions by Ix and Mileena so it’d do me some good.” The blond man looked reluctant even with that kind of reasoning. Allen, however, noticed there was just enough of a quirk in his frown that looked a little too happy that he got his way.

Allen smiled and rolled his eyes. It _was_ good that Zephyr’s nightmares had eased off some. Initially when they had come to this world he had been plagued by them, just as he had been on Liafyse. It wasn’t uncommon Allen had woken in the middle of the night to help his friend break out of a fitful sleep, though recently those awakenings had been fewer and fewer. Allen wondered if maybe Zephyr was starting to feel a bit better about their situation, but he was still reluctant to talk about the content of those dreams with the brunet. Their months spent in the Elmpyios continent must have given him some peace of mind, Allen surmised, especially with all of them by his side this time around.

“Then that’s all settled! Elle will be staying with me and Sara!” Kana clapped her hands in excitement, and Allen could already see the ideas brewing in her mind for what sort of mischief she could get up to with Elle, “We’ve already planned out a pillow fort!”

“A pillow fort? This isn’t a slumber party you know.” Zephyr sounded exasperated, but Allen could see a sparkle of amusement in his eyes.

“Aw, you’re just jealous, Zephyr! Don’t worry, though, if you get lonely you can join in!” Kana beamed back at him. The blond man let out a laugh.

“Thanks, but I’ll pass. You’ll have way more fun without me anyway,” He said with a slight grin.

“Don’t say that! I’d love to have you!” She just grinned back at him, “ _Buuut_ it is for girls only, so I guess it would be kind of weird if you showed up.” Zephyr and Allen exchanged a laugh. Kana really could have her mind somewhere else sometimes. Allen knew Zephyr at least appreciated the sentiment by the way he stood just a bit taller. He was glad he learned to smile again. While it wasn’t as warm as the one from his memories, it was still Zephyr’s. Before he could dwell on it too much, Ludger returned to the main room.

“Dinner’s ready!” Elle proudly jumped in front of him, blurting out the words before Ludger could even try. Allen chuckled to himself, but the smell of something savory distracted him from saying anything further. Zephyr elbowed him a little bit with a smirk, a sign of no hard feelings, and Allen couldn’t help but feel a tad sheepish. Hopefully Ludger hadn’t caught wind of their tiny squabble.

“Sounds good, I’m starving,” Zephyr rolled his shoulder just a bit, turning back towards Allen, “Hey, help me set up the table.” Allen blinked. His gaze turned back to the messy assorted bits of plates, cookie crumbs and abandoned cups of tea that still littered their table. He probably should’ve helped clean up instead of spacing out…

“I’ll help too!” Kana said cheerfully, already brushing past Zephyr and Allen to help grab them. Zephyr quirked his head slightly. Allen guessed he probably suspected something was off with her sudden eagerness, but he didn’t voice anything. Kana was probably trying to cover for Allen spacing out. _‘Thanks, Kana.’_ He quietly thanked her in the back of his mind. He got up himself, watching as Ludger was already being dragged away by Elle back towards where Sara and Lippy were pulling out the pot Ludger had been using.

While he, Zephyr and Kana cleared the table, his gaze was back on Ludger again. There probably would be more chances to speak together later, but he still couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling in his heart. Allen would just have to quell it for now and focus on their task. Kana nudged his elbow a little, glancing up at him with worry clouding her usually sunny blue eyes. Allen gave her a reassuring smile. It seemed almost enough, considering she returned it, but he could feel that her worry went deeper. He caught Zephyr glancing at him too with a frown, but he was already moving away with his set of dishes.

Allen felt bad worrying the both of them, and there was no doubt Sara and Lippy hadn’t caught him spacing out either. Once things had calmed down here, he could explain himself a bit more. For now, Allen was eager to enjoy whatever it was that smelled so good.

So he left those thoughts behind as he trailed after Kana and Zephyr.


End file.
